


A not so lonely vigil

by oywiththepoodles



Category: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (TV)
Genre: But mostly angst, Fluff and Angst
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-11-21
Updated: 2014-11-21
Packaged: 2018-02-26 10:49:49
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 611
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/2649245
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/oywiththepoodles/pseuds/oywiththepoodles
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Fitzsimmons thanks Trip, each in their own way.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Spoilers for s2e08 (The things we bury)</p>
            </blockquote>





	A not so lonely vigil

Fitz blinked, disoriented. Where was he? 

A soft steady beeping and pale blue light told him he was definitely not in his bunk. The fog of sleep still clung to the edges of his mind when the events of the day came rushing back to him- the mission, the ambush, Skye’s father, Trip’s injury.

Trip.

He must have fallen asleep while keeping vigil at Trip’s bedside. Jemma had confirmed that Trip was going to be ok, but still Fitz could not bring himself to leave Trip’s side. And judging from the ache in his neck, Fitz had been there a long time. 

Someone had fetched him a blanket and from the way he had been so thoroughly tucked in, he was pretty sure he knew who. It had been ages since Jemma straightjacketed him with a blanket while he slept, but it had been a common occurrence during their time at the Academy. He always complained bitterly about the restriction when he awoke, but that never stopped her. He started to wiggle an arm out of the cocoon, when a small sigh of relief told him that he and Trip were not alone.

Scanning the small space, he spotted Jemma at the foot of Trip’s bed. She was examining Trip’s vitals on a small tablet and was evidently relieved with what she saw. Glowing in the light from the tablet, with the corners of her lips turned up in a small smile, Fitz was struck by how ethereal she looked. For a moment, he worried that she was just an illusion.

She sighed once again, set down the tablet and headed over to inspect the IV bag. Satisfied that everything was as it should be, she took a seat at Trip’s side and held his big hand in her two small ones.

Through the dimness, Fitz could make out the slight shaking of her shoulders as she tried to hold in her sobs. He tamped down the urge to reach out to her, to hug her, reminding himself that he no longer had that right.

Jemma picked up Trip’s hand and reverently brought it to her lips. It was such an intimate act that Fitz felt wrong watching. He closed his eyes tight, but couldn’t stop the pang of jealousy that erupted inside him. 

Had she sat like this at his hospital bed? 

Did Jemma love Trip, the way he loved her? 

He hated himself for even thinking these things- Trip had almost died protecting him and he would be eternally grateful, no matter what. 

Though previously content to silently watch Jemma, Fitz now felt uncomfortably out of place. He was an intruder in this private moment- a moment that he did not particularly care to witness.

He desperately wanted to leave them, but with Jemma keeping a vigil of her own, he could not think of a graceful way to extricate himself. 

Time slowed to an agonizing crawl while Jemma tried to pull herself together. When she finally quieted, Fitz cracked open one eye. Jemma was now standing with her lips hovering next to Trip’s ear. “Thank you...” she whispered.

Despite the softness of her voice and the constant beeping of the monitors, Fitz could hear every word clearly. 

“...for looking out for him.”

She took a shaky breath.

“I- I couldn’t live if he didn’t.”

Fitz squeezed his eyes tight, fighting back the tears threatening to spill over. 

He sensed Jemma approaching and did his best to feign sleep.

She stopped in front of him and then gently, so as to not wake him, re-tucked the blanket around his arm.

She lingered a moment more, and then was gone.


End file.
